Underneath by V. J. Albert (best e reader for academics TXT) 📖

Luca gets his phone from his pocket and unlocks it. He opens his messages and notices that he has one that is marked as unread. It's from an unknown number but since he remembers giving his number to Lance who he met in the club two days ago, he sends the number a short 'hi' back and then texts a short message to Alexis to inform her about Zachariah's art essay. Just a second later Alexis answers him already.

Tell Zac I’ll look it up and I'll be over tonight. We can discuss everything then. Laters. Xx

"As I said, Alexis will come over tonight", Luca says and smiles. Zachariah emptied his mug by now and seems to be on his way out again.

"I can't thank you enough. For the mocha and the text to Al."

"Don't thank me, Zac." Just when Luca finished his sentence, Zachariah's mobile rings and he groans when he sees the caller.

"Have to go. My girl is calling for me. See you tonight." Zachariah answers his phone and leaves the coffee shop again. Jonah comes back a few minutes later with an annoyed expression on his face.

"This guy makes me angry as hell. He won't understand that I don't want to be with him anymore. Blocked his number now."

"Why does it seem like everyone around me has problems with their relationships? My best friend is nagging me about some bloke but does not make a move to let him know that she wants to be with him, my other best friend has a relationship crisis with his girlfriend because she got clingy while he has stress with uni and you don't seem happy that your ex is running after you. See, that is why I don't do relationships in the first place." Luca grins at Jonah who sits down on a bar chair, facing Luca who still stands behind the counter. 

"You do it the right way, should try it too." Jonah just says and they start working again after a bit of chatting and more chatting.

Luca's shift ends at 12:45 when Janice took over the shift from him. Jonah has finished an hour earlier and left with Luca's number in his phone. They promised to meet outside of work once in a while, to be friends, of course. Or really to be friends with benefits.

Luca is on his way back to the dorms when he gets a text message. He didn't expect anyone's message but sometimes he got stupid 'You've won the jackpot' texts.

It wasn't one of those. Instead he was looking down onto something he didn't expect at all.

In bright letters there is to read:

Didn't expect you to text me. Don't hate me that much after all, do you? Any plan of starting the challenge yet? Looking forward to your next message. All the love, H.

Luca stares blankly at his phone. This must be a joke.

Text: © V.J. Albert
Editing: Aliana Thompson and Nia Greenman
Publication Date: 08-21-2016

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
For Allie and Nia, my best friends.